Buttonhole-sewing machine



J. KIEWICZ.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 050.2, 1918.

1 358,855 Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

\nvenior. John Kiewicq, byMfmdLfmm/l Aitys.

J. KIEWICZ. IBUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED-DEC. 2. 1918.

1,358,855. Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Fig. 2.

\nventor. 3 John Kiewicg 5 by MSMILWM a '7 Attys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KIEWICZ, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REECE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BUTTONHOLE-SEWING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

Application filed December 2, 1918. Serial No. 264,944.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN Kmwloz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Buttonhole-Sewing Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specifica tion, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to buttonhole sewing machines and particularly to the means for controlling the work clamp that holds *phe work during the stitching of the buttoniole.

Buttonhole sewing machines are commonly provided with automatic means for closing the clamp onto the work when the machine is started, and are also provided with means for automatically releasing the clamp at the completion of the buttonhole.

The present invention relates particularly 7 to the means for releasing the clamp and it has for its object to provide a simple clamp-releasing device which is actuated from the main cam of the machine.

In order to give an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described, after which the novel features will he pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a buttonhole sewing machine having my improvements applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a front view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail of the clamp and the latch for locking it closed.

1 indicates the frame of a buttonhole sewing machine on which is supported workholding means comprising a clamp plate 2 and work clamps 3 which are sustained by arms 4 extending from blocks 7 that are loosely mounted on a rock-shaft 5 supported in bearings carried by the clamp-plate 2.

The work-clamps 3 can thus move toward and from the clamp-plate thereby to clamp and release the work, as usual in huttonhole sewing machines. The means herein illustrated for clamping the work clamps 3 against the work and for locking them in their clamped position is substantially the same as shown in United States Patent No. 1,188,942, dated June 27, 1916.

One of the blocks 7 has a lip 9 which,

overlies the other block, as shown in Fig. 2, and also has an arm 8 extending upwardly therefrom which is adapted to be enga ed by an arm 6 fast on the rock-shaft 5. The clamp-plate 2 has a stand 10 rising therefrom in which is journaled a rock-shaft 11 carrying a cam 12 situated to engage the arm 6 so that when the rock shaft is turned, as shown in Fig. 3, the engagement of the cam against the arm 6 will move said arm forwardly, and the latter acting against the arm 8 will turn the block 7 and thereby close the clamps against the work 10, as seen in Fig. 3. v

The stand 10 has a locking latch 13 pivoted thereto which is adapted to drop behind the upper end of the arm 6 when the work clamps are moved into clamping position thereby to lock the clamps closed, as seen best in Fig. 3. This latch is acted upon by a spring 1 1 which automatically moves it into operative position when the clamps are closed. In the construction shown, the rock-shaft 11 is turned automatically to close the clamps by mechanism actuated from the main cam 15 of the sewing machine which controls the various operations thereof, it being understood that this cam makes one complete revolution during the sewing of each buttonhole.

The main cam 15 is provided with clamp-closing cam portion 16 which is adapted to engage a roll 17 carried by a lever 18 that is pivoted at one end to the frame at 19 and has a hooked link 20 pivoted to the other end thereof. This link 20 extends through the bed of the frame 1 and is adapted to engage a pin 21 on an arm 22 that is rigid with the shaft 11. When the cam portion 16 engages the roll 17 the lever 18 is lowered, thereby operating through the hook 20 and arm 22 to turn the shaft 11 in a direction to close the clamps. As soon as the clamps are closed they are automatically locked by the locking latch 13, as above described.

The cam portion 16 is so situated as to effect the closing of the clamps as soon as the sewing machine is started and before the stitching operation begins, as usual in sewing machines of this type.

The construction thus far described is substantially the same as that shown in my former Patent No. 1,188,942. In said patent the release of the clamps at the completion of a buttonhole is eliected by a latchreleasing member carried by the main frame, the construction being such that the release of the clamps occurs while the work-holding means is moving from stitching position to buttonhole-cutting position after the stitching on the buttonhole has been completed. In my present invention I have provided means actuated by the main cam 15 for releasing the latch, the advantage of which is that the construction can be arranged to release the clamps at any desired the stitching on each buttonhole.

point in the cycle of operations. In the construction shown in said patent the auto-' matic release of the clamps can only occur while the work-holding means is having its jump movement from stitching to buttonhole-cutting position. y

In the construction shown the head 23 of the frame has a lever 24 pivoted thereto at 25, said lever being provided with a forwardly-extending arm or finger 26 which extends under the latch 13 so that when the lever 2a is raised, the arm 26 will lift the latch out of engagement with the arm 6. The lever 24: is actuated at the proper time to release the latch from a clampreleasing cam 27 which is carried by a cam member 28 that is rigid with the main cam l5. This cam 15 is usually situated Within a cam housing 29, and said cam has a hub extending therefrom through the housing on which the cam member 28 is mounted. This cam 27, therefore, rotates once during During its rotation it is adapted to engage a pin 80 on the end of a lever 81 which is pivoted at 32 to an arm or bracket 33 depending from the housing 29, said lever being connected to a thrust-rod 34 which extends up through the bed 1 of the frame and is adapted to engage the end of the lever 24-. The rod 34 has a collar 37 thereon which limits its downward movement and the lever 24 is acted on by a pulling spring 38 which holds it in engagement with the rod 8%. It will thus be seen that whenever the clamp-releasing cam 27 enga es the pin 30, the lever 31 will be rocked thereby raising the thrust-rod 34, the latter lifting the lever 24 and thereby releasing the latch 13. As soon as the latch is released, the clamps will be opened automatically by the usual clamp-opening spring.

This cam 27 will ordinarily be so positioned that the latch 13 will be released 'just after the stitching on the buttonhole buttonhole begins, a latch to hold the clamp closed, andother means actuated by said cam to release the latch at the end of the stitching operation.

2. In a buttonhole sewing machine of the type having a main cam for controlling various operations involved in stitching a buttonhole, the combination with a work clamp, of means actuated by the main cam to close said clamp, a latch device to hold the clamp closed during the stitching operation, a latch-releasing cam situated beneath the work clamp, and means actuated thereby to release the latch at the end of the stitching operation on a buttonhole,

3. In a buttonhole sewing machine of the type having a main cam for controlling various operations involved in stitching a buttonhole, the combination with a work clamp, of means actuated by the main cam to close said work clamp, a latch device to hold said clamp closed during the stitching operation, a latch-releasing cam rigid with the main cam, and other means separate from the clamp-closing means and actuated by the latch-releasing cam to release the latch at the end of the stitching on a buttonhole.

4. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with a movable work clamp ior clamping the work during the stitching operation on a buttonhole, of a main cam for giving said clamp its work-feeding movement, devices actuated by said cam for closing the clamp, means for holding the clamp closed, a clamp-releasing cam situated beneath the work clamp, and devices separate from the clamp-closing devices and actuated by said clamp-releasing cam to release the clamp at the end of the stitching operation.

5. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with a movable work clamp, of a main cam for giving said clamp its feeding movement, a lever actuated by said main cam and adapted to close the clamp, means to hold the clamp closed, a second cam situated beneath the work clamp, and connections separate from said lever and actuated by said second cam to release the closed, a latch-releasing cam rigid with the holding means at the end of the stitching main cam, a latch-releasing lever pivoted operation. to the head and provided with a finger to 6. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the engage the latch, and connections between 5 combination with a main frame having a the latch-releasing cam and the latch-re- 15 head, of work-holding means including a leasing lever. movable work clamp, a main cam for con- In testimony whereof I have signed my trolling the various operations involved in name to this specification. stitching a buttonhole, automatic means for 10 closing the clamp, a latch to hold the clamp JOHN KIEWICZ. 

